The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, method, and program. More particularly, the invention relates to an information processing apparatus, method, and program that are capable of processing a received command with an appropriate operating system when a plurality of operating systems are incorporated.
In recent years, cards having an IC (integrated circuit) and a contactless antenna module for enabling contactless communication have been used widely. Such cards are called contactless IC cards, for example, and they are configured to be capable of performing contactless communication with other devices. The contactless communication using the contactless IC cards is used, for example, for transport tickets, electronic cash, ID cards, and room entrance and exit control, and their uses have been increasing.
Because their uses are increasing, the contactless IC cards are configured to have OSs (operating systems) that are suitable for the uses. (See, for example, JP-A-2007-871120.)
Not just IC cards but also information processing apparatus such as personal computers may have a plurality of OSs, and such OSs may be switched from one to another according to the use. Such a personal computer has a partition table in the MBR (Master Boot Record). A boot sector of the OS that needs to be activated is called to switch over the OS.
However, in this technique, it is necessary to explicitly set which of the OSs is to be called. Therefore, it is necessary to modify the procedures for starting up each of the OSs. Moreover, this technique requires that the OS should be switched at first, and it is not suitable for switching the OS from one to another in real-time.
Because the OSs in an IC chip of an IC card operate by receiving a character string as a command, it may be conceivable to use a technique of adopting a mapping table of commands and OSs and selecting an OS to be operated according to the received command.
However, in this technique, there is a possibility that, when an application is added to an OS, an appropriate OS cannot be selected unless the mapping table contains the new command of the application and the processing cannot be executed appropriately.
Thus, it is desirable that even when a plurality of OSs exist, a command can be passed appropriately to the target OS without changing the existing command specification.